Showcase: Cineflix Rights

The ever-expanding Cineflix Rights catalog has everything from returnable scripted series across drama, comedy, crime, thriller and more, to factual programs covering history, true crime, lifestyle and entertainment.

On the scripted side of the business, the focus “is on limited and returnable series, particularly in the crime and contemporary thriller genres, new episodic procedural series and series with strong appeal to young adults,” says Tom Misselbrook, senior VP of scripted sales and development.

This includes the French-language psychological thriller In Memoriam, which Misselbrook describes as “Succession meets Squid Game.” He adds, “The series hits a lot of the content beats global buyers are looking for, echoing similar themes explored in some of the biggest drama hits of the past few years.”

Other titles on the drama slate are the recently launched series So Long, Marianne, about Leonard Cohen and Marianne Ihlen’s lifelong love, and the millennial comedy Late Bloomer, from YouTuber Jus Reign. The crime drama Virdee is currently in production, and the dark Australian comedy Sunny Nights is set to begin production later this year.

“We also place a high value on projects based on proven IP and with notable writing, directing and/or acting talent already attached,” Misselbrook adds.

On the non-scripted side, “we are always looking for independent producers to bring us great stories and new approaches to our core factual genres—crime, history, documentary, lifestyle and noisy formats,” says Richard Life, senior VP of acquisitions and co-productions. “Our priority is to find new series, particularly those that can return, and we are actively looking for new projects that will deliver over the next 12 months.”

In the history genre, “we are interested in ‘history mystery’ series that investigate the unexplained and our more distant past,” Life notes, before adding that “‘near history’ series that shed new light on more recent events of the ’90s and noughties, particularly those with a pop-culture overlay,” are also of interest.

New titles that fall under Life’s “history mystery” category include Ramses The Great: King of Ancient Egypt and Little Sapiens.

Ramses The Great: King of Ancient Egypt uses cutting-edge science and the latest archaeological discoveries to unveil how the titular pharaoh turned a fallen empire into one of the most powerful of all time. “What we love about this premium docudrama series is that it uses fresh and bold storytelling techniques to bring to life the most famous dynasty of all—that of Ramses II and his ascent to power,” says Sandra Piha, senior VP of sales, pan-regional, for the U.K., Ireland and Scandinavia. “Based on the most recent scientific research into Ramses II and his ascent to power, it also contains revelations of the family’s darkest secrets, all told using cinematic dramatizations filmed in Morocco, coupled with high-end CGI to really bring the story to life.”

Little Sapiens, meanwhile, takes a deep dive into the lives of prehistoric children. Using 20,000-year-old clues and expert analysis, it reveals to viewers how the youngest of our ancestors may have actually been the drivers of human evolution. “When it comes to studying ancient history and, in particular, early man, the demographic that is almost completely overlooked is children,” Piha notes. “There is a reason for this, and it is because archaeological traces of the young from the Paleolithic era are very rare. This special takes viewers on a journey around Europe with experts to uncover these traces and reveals just how important the role of kids was in the evolution of early man. We found this film to have a compelling new take on our most ancient ancestors, with genuine revelation and an approach that we feel will also appeal to the whole family.”

Beyond history, the Cineflix Rights non-scripted catalog features true crime, lifestyle and factual-entertainment formats, as well. In the crowded crime corner, “we look for series that cover themes that appeal to younger audiences, such as social media crime,” Life explains. “We also value new formats and approaches to storytelling and those that lean more into the use of unseen archive or digital media rather than re-creations.”

In lifestyle, Cineflix Rights places priority on home, travel and shows that provide escapism. “We want aspirational and inspirational series that look at home transformation, people following their dreams with real stakes in desirable locations and food content,” Life says.

One such title that hits the mark is Sue Perkins into Alaska, a three-part travelogue that follows U.K. comedian and TV presenter Sue Perkins as she ventures into America’s final frontier and explores Alaska’s history, culture and communities while contemplating whether she has what it takes to survive in such an isolated, challenging environment.

“When we were presented with the opportunity to represent this show, we knew it had built-in global appeal because of Sue,” Piha explains. “What we also liked was the stunning yet challenging terrain of Alaska, which, again, has proven a popular aspirational destination for viewers. Sue’s unique, immersive, yet tongue-in-cheek approach to travelogue was captured perfectly by producer Chalkboard.”

This packed slate of returnable and limited scripted series, as well as informative and entertaining factual titles on offer from Cineflix Rights, comes in direct response to demand in the market.

“The rise of the streamers has upped the game for everyone,” Piha says. “Our linear buyers all have launched VOD services, and their buying needs are being driven by the need to drive eyeballs to these new services. That means premium content—features and miniseries in genres such as true crime, pop-culture history, travel and adventure.”

She continues, “At the same time, linear buyers are looking for volume for their linear scheduled services—series of at least ten episodes or more with returnability to fill the schedules with compelling content that helps retain audiences.”